bh.houseatreides-第71部分

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　〃What　happens　if　he　gets　hurt？　Could　we　get　in　trouble　for　not　keeping　a　better　eye　on　him？〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　Elrood's　mind　isn't　what　it　used　to　be。〃　The　Baron　laughed；　a　thin；　nasal　tone　of　derision。　〃Not　that　the　Emperor's　mind　was　much　even　in　its　prime。〃
　The　dark…haired　woman；　coated　now　with　clinging　dust；　fought　her　way　across　the　dunes。　She　kicked　up　sand；　falling　and　struggling　back　onto　her　feet；　refusing　to　give　up。
　〃This　bores　me；〃　Rabban　said。　〃No　challenge　just　to　stand　here　and　watch。〃
　〃Some　punishments　are　easy；〃　the　Baron　observed；　〃but　easy　isn't　always　sufficient。　Erasing　this　woman　does　nothing　to　erase　the　black　mark　she　made　on　the　honor　of　House　Harkonnen。。。with　the　help　of　House　Atreides。〃
　〃Then　let's　do　more；〃　Rabban　said　with　a　thick…lipped　grin；　〃to　the　Atreides。〃
　The　Baron　felt　the　heat　shimmering　on　his　exposed　face；　absorbed　the　thrumming　silence　of　the　baked　desert。　When　he　smiled；　the　skin　on　his　cheeks　threatened　to　crack。　〃Maybe　we　will。〃
　〃What；　Uncle？〃
　〃Perhaps　it's　time　to　get　rid　of　the　Old　Duke。　No　more　thorns　in　our　side。〃
　Rabban　bubbled　with　anticipation。
　With　a　calmness　designed　to　agitate　his　nephew；　the　Baron　focused　the　oil　lenses　of　his　binoculars　and　scanned　the　distance　at　varying　magnifications。　He　hoped　to　spot　the　wormsign　himself　rather　than　relying　on　the　security　ornithopters。　Finally　he　sensed　the　tremors　approaching。　He　felt　his　pulse　synchronize　with　the　thumper：　Lump。。。Lump。。。Lump。。。
　Crescent　dune　tracks　spread　shadow　ripples　toward　the　horizon；　an　elongated　mound…in…motion；　a　cresting　of　sand　like　a　big　fish　swimming　just　under　the　surface。　In　the　still；　hot　air；　the　Baron　heard　the　rasping；　abrasive　sound　of　the　slithering　beast。　Excitedly；　he　grabbed　Rabban's　elbow　and　pointed。
　The　…unit　at　Rabban's　ear　chirped；　and　a　filtered　voice　spoke　so　loudly　that　the　Baron　could　hear　the　muffled　words。　Rabban　swatted　at　the　device。　〃We　know！　We　see　it。〃
　The　Baron　continued　his　musings　as　the　buried　worm　approached　like　a　lootive。　〃I've　kept　up　my　contacts　with。。。individuals　on　Caladan；　you　know。　The　Old　Duke　is　a　creature　of　habit。　And　habits　can　be　dangerous。〃　He　smiled；　his　lips　hard；　his　eyes　squinting　against　the　glare。　〃We've　already　put　operatives　in　place；　and　I　have　a　plan。〃
　Far　out　in　the　dunes　ahead　of　them；　Janess　spun　around　and　ran　in　blind　panic。　She　had　seen　the　oning　worm。
　The　rippling　upheaval　of　sand　reached　the　thumper　in　the　lee　of　a　whaleback　dune。　In　an　explosion　like　a　tidal　wave　engulfing　a　dock；　the　thumper　vanished　into　an　immense　mouth　lined　with　crystal　teeth。
　〃Move　the　platform；〃　the　Baron　urged。　〃Follow　her！〃　Rabban　worked　the　suspensor　controls；　floating　them　up　over　the　desert　for　a　better　view　of　the　action。
　Following　the　vibrations　of　the　woman's　footsteps；　the　worm　changed　course。　The　sand　rippled　again　as　the　behemoth　dived　underground　and　prowled　like　a　shark　searching　for　new　prey。
　Janess　collapsed　on　the　top　of　a　dune；　shuddering；　holding　her　knees　up　against　her　chin　as　she　tried　not　to　make　any　sound　that　might　attract　the　great　worm。　Sand　skittered　around　her。　She　froze；　held　her　breath。
　The　monster　paused。　Janess　huddled　in　terror；　praying　silently。
　Rabban　brought　the　suspensor　platform　above　the　trapped　woman。　Janess　glared　up　at　the　Harkonnens；　her　jaw　clenched；　her　eyes　like　daggers；　a　cornered　animal　afraid　to　move。
　Baron　Harkonnen　reached　down　to　grab　an　empty　bottle　of　spice　liquor；　drained　during　their　long　hot　wait　for　her　execution。　He　raised　the　brown　glass　bottle　as　if　in　a　toast；　grinning。
　The　sandworm　waited　underground；　alert　for　even　a　fractional　movement。
　The　Baron　tossed　the　bottle　at　the　dusky…skinned　woman。　The　glass　tumbled　in　the　air；　reflecting　glints　of　sunlight；　end　over　end。　It　struck　the　sand　within　meters　of　Janess's　feet　with　a　loud　thunk。
　The　worm　lunged　into　motion；　toward　her。
　Screaming　curses　at　the　Harkonnens；　Janess　plunged　down　the　hillside；　followed　by　a　small　avalanche　of　sand。　But　the　ground　dropped　out　from　underneath　her；　like　a　gaping　trapdoor。
　The　mouth　of　the　worm　rose　up；　a　cavern　of　glittering　teeth　in　the　sunlight　to　swallow　Janess　and　everything　around　her。　A　puff　of　dust　drifted　on　the　wavering　air　as　the　huge　worm　sank　back　under　the　sands；　like　a　whale　beneath　the　sea。
　Rabban　touched　his　…unit；　demanding　to　know　whether　the　spotting　craft　overhead　had　taken　high…resolution　holos。　〃I　didn't　even　see　her　blood；　didn't　hear　her　scream。〃　He　sounded　disappointed。
　〃You　may　strangle　one　of　my　servants；〃　the　Baron　offered；　〃if　it　will　make　you　feel　better。　But　only　because　I'm　in　such　a　good　mood。〃
　From　the　suspensor　platform；　he　gazed　down　at　the　placid　dunes；　knowing　the　danger　and　death　that　lurked　beneath　them。　He　wished　his　old　rival　Duke　Paulus　Atreides　had　been　down　there　instead　of　the　woman。　For　that；　he　would　have　had　every　Harkonnen　holorecorder　in　operation；　so　that　he　could　enjoy　it　from　every　angle　and　savor　the　experience　over　and　over；　each　time　tasting　the　morsel　of　human　flesh　as　the　worm　did。
　No　matter；　the　Baron　told　himself。　I　have　something　just　as　interesting　in　mind　for　the　old　man。
　Speak　the　truth。　That　is　always　much　easier；　and　is　often　the　most　powerful　argument。
　…Bene　Gesserit　Axiom
　Duncan　Idaho　stared　at　the　monstrous　Salusan　bull；　through　the　force…field　bars　of　its　cage；　his　child's　gaze　meeting　the　multifaceted　eyes　of　the　ferocious　creature。　The　bull　had　a　scaly　black　hide；　multiple　horns；　and　two　brains　that　were　capable　of　only　one　thought：　Destroy　anything　that　moves。
　The　boy　had　worked　in　the　stables　for　weeks　now；　doing　his　best　at　even　the　most　miserable　of　jobs；　feeding　and　watering　the　bat　bulls；　tending　them；　cleaning　their　filthy　cages　while　the　beasts　were　pushed　back　behind　force…barricades　to　keep　them　from　attacking　him。
　He　enjoyed　his　job；　despite　what　others　considered　the　degrading　meniality　of　the　tasks　to　be　performed。　Duncan　didn't　even　think　of　it　as　low…level　work；　though　he　knew　several　other　stableboys　did。　These　were　simply　chores　to　him；　and　he　considered　his　payment　in　freedom　and　happiness　more　than　sufficient。　Because　of　the　gracious　generosity　of　his　benefactor；　Duke　Paulus　Atreides；　he　loved　the　old　man　dearly。
　Duncan　ate　well　now　and　had　a　warm　place　to　live　and　fresh　clothes　whenever　he　needed　them。　Though　no　one　asked　him　to；　he　worked　hard　anyway；　driven　and　dedicated。　There　was　even　some　time　for　relaxation；　and　he　and　the　other　workers　had　their　own　gymnasium　and　recreation　hall。　He　could　also　go　splashing　in　the　sea　whenever　he　wished；　and　a　friendly　man　from　the　dockside　occasionally　took　him　along　for　a　day's　fishing。
　At　present　the　Old　Duke　kept　five　of　the　mutated　bulls　for　his　games。　Duncan　had　sought　to　befriend　the　beasts；　trying　to　tame　them　with　bribes　of　sweet　green　grass　or　fresh　fruits；　but　an　exasperated　Stablemaster　Yresk　had　caught　him　at　it。
　〃The　Old　Duke　uses　them　in　his　bullfights　　do　you　think　he　prefers　them　tame？〃　His　puffy　eyes　had　widened　with　anger。　The　white…haired　stablemaster　had　accepted　him　on　the　Duke's　orders；　but　grudgingly；　and　he　gave　Duncan　no　special　treatment。　〃He　wants　them　to　attack。　He　doesn't　want　the　creatures　to　purr　when　he's　on　display　in　the　Plaza　de　Toros。　What　would　the　people　think？〃
　Duncan　had　lowered　his　eyes　and　backed　off。　Always　obedient；　he　never　again　tried　to　make　these　beasts　his　pets。
　He　had　seen　holorecordings　of　the　Duke's　previous　spectacles；　as　well　as　the　performances　of　other　renowned　matadors；　while　he　was　saddened　to　witness　the　slaughter　of　one　of　his　magnificent　charges；　he　was　amazed　at　the　bravery　and　self…assurance　of　Duke　Atreides。
　The　last　corrida　on　Caladan　had　been　staged　to　celebrate　the　departure　of　Leto　Atreides　for　his　off…planet　schooling。　Now　after　many　months　there　would　be　another；　as　the　Old　Duke　had　recently　announced　a　new　grand　bullfight；　this　one　to　entertain　his　guests　from　Ix；　who　had　e　to　stay　as　exiles　on　Caladan。　Exiles。　In　a　sense；　Duncan　was　one；　too。。。。
　Though　he　had　his　own　sleeping　quarters　in　a　munal　outbuilding　where　many　of　the　Castle　workers　lived；　sometimes　Duncan　bedded　down　out　in　the　stables；　where　he　could　hear　the　snorting　and　simmering　beasts。　He　had　put　up　with　far　worse　conditions　in　his　life。　The　stables　themselves　were　fortable；　and　he　enjoyed　being　alone　with　the　animals。
　Whenever　he　slept　out　there；　he　listened　to　the　movements　of　the　bulls　in　his　dreams。　He　felt　himself　being　attuned　to　their　moods　and　instincts。　For　days　now；　though；　the　creatures　had　grown　increasingly　fretful　and　moody；　prone　to　rampages　in　their　pens。。。as　if　they　knew　their　nemesis　the　Old　Duke　was　planning　another　bullfight。
　Standing　outside　the　cages；　young　Duncan　noticed　fresh；　deep　score　marks　where　the　Salusan　bulls　had　rammed　their　enclosures　in　an　attempt　to　break　free；　trying　to　gore　imaginary　opponents。
　This　was　not　right。　Duncan　knew　it。　He'd　spent　so　much　time　watching　the　bulls　that　he　felt　he　understood　their　instincts。　He　knew　how　they　should　react；　knew　how　to　provoke　them　and　how　to　calm　them　　but　this　behavior　was　out　of　the　ordinary。
　When　he　mentioned　it　to　Stablemaster　Yresk；　the　gaunt　man　looked　suddenly　alarmed。　He　scratched　the　shock　of　thinning　white　hair　on　his　head；　but　then　his　expression　changed。　He　fixed　his　suspicious；　puffy　eyes　on　Duncan。　〃Say；　there's　nothing　wrong　with　those　bulls。　If　I　didn't　know　you　better；　I'd　think　you　were　just　another　Harkonnen；　trying　to　cause　trouble。　Now　run　along。〃
　〃Harkonnens！　I　hate　them。〃
　〃You　lived　among　them；　stable…rat。　We　Atreides　are　trained　to　be　constantly　on　the　alert。〃　He　gave　Duncan　a　nudge。　〃Don't　you　have　chores　to　plete？　Or　do　I　need　to　find　some　more？〃
　He'd　heard　that　Yresk　had　actually　e　from　Richese　many　years　before；　so　he　was　not　truly　an　Atreides。　Still；　Duncan　didn't　contradict　the　man；　though　he　refused　to　back　down。　〃I　was　their　slave。　They　tried　to　hunt　me　down　like　an　animal。〃
　Yresk　lowered　his　bushy　eyebrows；　with　his　lanky　build　and　wild；　pale　hair　he　looked　like　a　scarecrow。　〃Even　among　the　mon　people；　the　old　feud　between　Houses　runs　deep。　How　do　I　know　what　you　might　have　up　your　sleeve？〃
　〃That's　not　why　I　told　you